Golden Sun Book III: The New World
by What1
Summary: Set Directly after the Lost Age. Isaac and Felix have successfully lit the lighthouses, breaking the seal on Alchemy and saving the world of Weyard... Or have they? What more challenges lie ahead for Isaac, Felix and co? R & R PLEASE!
1. Foreward

Foreword

This isn't the first chapter of the story. This is where the author (That would be me) gives answers to a few questions/replies to comments I KNOW I'm going to get… In other words, this is stuff you SHOULD know before you read. If you just want to start reading, go up to that purple arrow pointing to the right, and click on it.

Now then, since everyone who doesn't have the attention span for this is gone, let's get started.

First, be warned that I write this just as in a game. There will be little things telling you when you can use new techniques, there is HP, PP, and other things like that. I'll try to make those announcements in bold, but the document manager tends to screw things up a bit. So, Isaac and everyone else can keep fighting after getting cut, slashed, impaled, burninated, etc, just like in the game. This formula worked pretty well in my first story (Still in progress), so I figured, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. BTW, if any of you were wondering, this is my first GS fic, and my second fic total.

Next, yes, the genre for this story says Action/Adventure/Romance. If I could, I'd probably add slight humor to it. Don't expect this to be an angst-filled torment story like most of the other ones in this section. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the stuff, I just can't write it. What you can expect from me is more of a "never surrender, never say die" attitude. Maybe a few good sad scenes (Or love-induced insanity scenes), but don't bet on it. Or maybe I'm just underestimating my own ability… moving on…. There won't be much (If any) character death here either. Maybe mass deaths, but don't bet on character death. A bit unrealistic, maybe, but in this day and age, stories like mine are in a bit of a shortage. Like I said, I'm not going to try and move you to tears or anything like that. It's just not my thing. One more thing, if you were wondering, this story (and author) supports Isaac/Mia and Garet/Jenna. I'd do something with Sheba, but I'm undecided on whether to pair her with Ivan or Felix…

Next, you remember those rumors about new Djinn/psynergy types? I plan on putting that to good use, so, naturally, that means more adepts. The only problem is, I suck at making up OCs. So, I plan on using characters from other games as adepts. Trust me, you'll know them when you see them. Of course, the psynergy types have planetary alignments too, which I'll tell in due time. It would help to keep in mind my three other favorite RPGs, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy VII and Skies of Arcadia. While I wouldn't call myself a fanboy (Yes, I am a guy), chances are I'll draw several characters from these games. I'll just give 'em different pasts, and maybe tone some of their powers up or down a bit. You can also expect cameos from other things (like maybe various Anime), and I might throw Isaac into a Yu-Gi-Oh duel for the fun of it, if you guys let me get away with it^_^ 

Then, there's the matter of stats. As you should all know, you can check your character's status by going to the status menu. To simulate this, I end every chapter with a Status thingie, which has the character's name, equipment, class and number/type of Djinn, as well as any Psynergy/Special Attacks a character learned that chapter.

Lastly, I apologize, but updates may be a bit… slow. I get the feeling when all is said and done, you guys will have attempted to kill me several times, or worse, sent me muses, (All attempts at this shall be dealt with by my security force) for taking too long updating. This is due mostly to my freakin' long chapters and, as I already mentioned, the fact that I have another story in the works (It's a Kingdom Hearts story, if any of you would care to read it. Be warned that it crosses over with just about everything I can pull off my head. Eventually, even this game. But not yet.). Yeah, I think that just about wraps it up. So, go ahead and start reading the story now…


	2. The New Beginning

Disclaimer: What (Me) does NOT own Golden Sun, Final Fantasy VII, the Legend of Zelda, the Delphinus, Yu-Gi-Oh and all related characters, along with just about everything else that appears in this story. Nintendo, Camelot, Squaresoft, Sega and Konami do. Don't sue me; you'll only get pocket lint anyway. Also, pieces of the first part are taken straight from the opening of Golden Sun: The Lost Age (I added some stuff too). This story (obviously) takes place after TLA, so don't read if you want to find out the story of TLA yourself. If you haven't played TLA, but want to read this anyway, everything should be outlined below.

Prologue (If you've beat TLA, You might want to skip this)

_Ages ago, or so the stories tell, the power of Alchemy ruled over Weyard. Alchemy wrought the base elements of humanity into thriving civilizations, like lead into gold. But in time, man's dreams gave birth to untold strife. Dreams of eternal riches, of eternal life, of dominion over all that lived… Dreams of conquest and of war. These dreams would have torn the world apart if not for a few brave and wise men, who sealed away the power of Alchemy deep in Mt. Aleph's Sol Sanctum. _

_ -Prologue from Book 1-_

_The day after the ordeal on Jupiter Lighthouse, Isaac learned the truth about the lighthouses, and Felix and Isaac joined forces to light the final lighthouse. When they arrived in Prox, they discovered that Agatio and Karst had failed to light the lighthouse. If the lighthouse was not lit soon, Prox would be next to be swallowed up in Gaia Falls, the enormous waterfall at the edge of the world that cascaded into nothingness. Felix and Isaac took it upon themselves to light Mars Lighthouse. When they arrived at the aerie, they found The Wise One waiting for them. Saying he could not interfere with the actions of man, he told Isaac and Felix if they wanted to light the beacon, they would have to defeat a miracle, and he summoned a fearsome three-headed dragon. While the Dragon was defeated, The Wise One's real trick was revealed: The dragon was really Isaac's father and Jenna and Felix's parents fused into the form of the dragon. Near death, even Mia and Picard's healing powers couldn't save them. Felix finally cast the Mars Star in, releasing the seal on Alchemy. At that moment, the Mars Psynergy overflowing from the reddish-golden light rejuvenated the fallen parents. Then, the lights all shot off towards Mt. Aleph, to merge into the Golden Sun, forming the Stone of Sages. Now, Alex's true intentions were revealed, as he stood at the peak of Mt. Aleph, to absorb some of the power of the Golden Sun. _

_ -Golden Sun Book 2: The Lost Age-_

_As Alex attempted to use his new powers to control the powers of nature, The Wise One appeared and challenged the Water Adept's new power. The Wise One easily defeated Alex, and Mt. Aleph and Vale sank deep into the earth. When Isaac, Jenna, Garet and Felix returned to their village, they found it completely destroyed, but their families had survived, so everyone would live happily ever after since Alex was sealed in Mt. Aleph… Or would they? Our final chapter begins in the foothills above Vale, as Isaac and his friends are reunited with their families…_

Golden Sun Book 3: The New World

Chapter 1: The New Beginning

"So… where are we going to live now that Vale is destroyed, grandpa?" asked Garet. 

"I don't know Garet…" replied the town's former mayor," I doubt the Inn at Vault will house all of us…"

"What about Lemuria? I'm supposed to go back and tell King Hydros what happened, remember?" pointed out Picard.

"That's true, but that's pretty far away," said Isaac.

"So? You can just use the teleport lapis on the ship, remember?" reminded Kraden.

"Oh yeah… I completely forgot about that," said Garet.

"Why am I not surprised?" wondered Jenna.

"Hey! That was uncalled for!" complained Garet.

"Let's go… to Lemuria," declared Isaac, and they reboarded the ship and teleported to the mouth of the port in the cave below the city.

"You know… it's kind of strange," said Mia.

"What?" asked Isaac.

"When we tried to get into this country to save Babi, we couldn't do it. Now, we're just teleporting there with some Psynergy," replied Mia.

"Yeah… I guess it is kinda strange," agreed Isaac.

"It wouldn't have done you any good anyway," said Picard," The spring that created the draught has long since run dry. Lemurians just have longer life spans in the first place, which is how we live so long."

"I guess… you know, we should probably stay far away from Tolbi. They'll probably blame us for Babi's death for not fulfilling that promise," noted Ivan.

"You'd be right… Alex told us the whole city was in an uproar. The newspapers were totally slandering you guys," said Sheba. 

"We're here," said Kraden. The party departed the ship and headed straight for the Palace.

"Ah… you've returned. Based on the flashes of light we saw over your lands to the west, you've released Alchemy on the world again, haven't you?" asked the palace guard.

"That would be correct," confirmed Picard.

"That must be what caused the recent earthquakes as well," said another guard.

"Earthquakes? What's been going on here?" asked Picard.

"Uh… the King will explain it," said the guards, and they announced them and led them into the King's chambers, where King Hydros and Lunpa awaited them.

"Felix… you've returned. Are we correct in assuming that the lighthouses have been lit?" asked Hydros. Felix nodded in response.

"So, then… we'll just see what happens from here. By the way, that day the lights were flying over Vale, there was an Earthquake. You might want to take a look at ancient Lemuria again," said Lunpa, then he noticed the doubled party size," I don't believe we've met before… would you mind telling us your names?"

"I'm Isaac," said Isaac, stepping forward, slightly bowing his head in respect.

"It's Garet, and shorty here is named Ivan," said Garet.

"Hey! I'm not that short!" interjected Ivan. Isaac turned around and gave them an exasperated expression, before motioning toward Mia.

"This is Mia," introduced Isaac, Mia also bowing slightly.

"So Lunpa, what were you saying about the ancient Lemuria ruins earlier?" asked Kraden interestedly. 

"The water level there seems to have lowered when the earthquake hit. There is a very interesting ancient ruin there… it may have something to do with Alchemy… you may want to examine it," suggested Lunpa. 

"Thanks for the tip… I think we'll do that," said Felix. They exited the palace.

"If anyone is tired, my uncle was expanding the house to include an underground guest room. I think he said he would have it finished by the time we got back," said Picard.

"Good… I don't think we could keep up with you kids anymore," said Garet's father. So, the Valeans' families headed for Picard's uncle's house, and the adepts headed back to their ship. After a short trip through the series of caves beneath the city, they arrived at ancient Lemuria.

"Look! Felix! That stone archway! It was submerged last time we were here!" exclaimed Kraden.

"I remember… what could be down there, I wonder?" mused Felix.

"We'll never find out by standing here. Let's go!" exclaimed Jenna. So, the group of nine proceeded down the long hallway, and found themselves in front of two strange double doors. When they pushed them, they wouldn't budge.

"What kind of doors are these?" asked Sheba.

"I don't know," replied Ivan.

"Hey! I found something!" exclaimed Isaac, who had been standing next to the doors. Brushing off some moss, a shiny panel with a button and an arrow pointing down.

"Press it, Isaac! I'll bet it opens the doors!" exclaimed Garet.

"You think?" said Jenna.

"Well… what else would it do?" asked Garet.

"She was being sarcastic again, Garet," explained Mia.

"Uhh… I knew that," said Garet, turning a bit red. Isaac pushed the button, and the doors slid open, revealing a small, enclosed room.

"It's a dead end…" griped Picard. Isaac stepped into the room and examined the walls carefully. This time, the panel with buttons was free of moss, so Isaac motioned for them to enter. Somehow, all nine of them packed themselves into the tiny room to nowhere, and Isaac pushed the button. This time, the doors slid closed and the room shook, then they all got a feeling of downward movement.

"What kind of crazy place is this?" asked Mia.

"I have NO CLUE," replied Picard.

"I wonder where this elevator is going…" said Ivan. He didn't have to wait long, as the room came to a sudden stop, and the doors slid open again. They stepped out, and this time, they found themselves in another hall.

"So, you found the cave of the ancients," came a familiar voice from behind them," And your powers have greatly increased… an effect of absorbing all that elemental energy at Mars Lighthouse, no doubt." The group whirled around and found themselves face with Vale's protector.

"The Wise One!" exclaimed Isaac.

**Current Status:**

**Isaac Protector 7 Mercury/2 Venus Lv.58**

**Sol Blade**

**Warrior's Helm**

**Riot Gloves**

**Xylion Armor**

**Hyper Boots**

**Golden Ring**

**Golden Shirt**

**Garet Ronin 5 Venus/4 Jupiter Lv.57 **

**Darksword**

**Fear Helm**

**Terra Shield**

**Planet Armor**

**Quick Boots**

**Cleric's Ring**

**Running Shirt**

**Ivan Guru 7 mars/2 Jupiter Lv.57**

**Tisiphone Edge**

**Alastor's Hood**

**War Gloves**

**Mysterious Robe**

**Hyper Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

**Mia Pure Mage 4 Venus/5 Jupiter Lv.57**

**Lachesis' Rule**

**Crown of Glory**

**Spirit Armlet**

**Iris Robe**

**Quick Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

**Felix Paladin 5 Mercury/4 Mars Lv.46**

**Excalibur**

**Mythril Helm**

**War Gloves**

**Wild Coat**

**Golden Boots**

**Running Shirt**

**Jenna Chaos Lord 7 Venus/2 Mars Lv.46**

**Phaeton's Blade**

**Thorn Crown**

**Crafted Gloves**

**Ardagh Robe**

**Dragon Boots**

**Silk Shirt**

**Unicorn Ring**

**Sheba Warlock 4 Mercury/5 Mars Lv.42**

**Atropos' Rod**

**Astral Circlet**

**Leda's Bracelet **

**Erinyes Tunic**

**Quick Boots**

**Spirit Ring **

**Silk Shirt**

**Picard Wizard 7 Jupiter/2 Mercury Lv.43**

**Fire Brand**

**Dragon Helm**

**Big Bang Gloves**

**Xylion Armor**

**Quick Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

**Author's Note in Closing: That's all this time. Next time, we get… A long-ass cut-scene. Meh. Oh well. The story will really pick up in Chapter 3 or 4, so have a little patience. And, for those of you wondering, for the most part, that's my set-up in the game, except I usually give Jenna Masamune. However, for story reasons, I couldn't. Don't worry, she gets a better, new class of weapons next chapter. Wait a sec… I just gave away one of the characters I'm borrowing… Oh well. If you can figure it out, I'll give you a cookie! And if you review, I'll give you a golf club!**


	3. Half Done

Author's Note: Yay! I got reviews! And they were good! So my KH story wasn't just a fluke! Now, time to respond to the reviews *Gives all reviewers Golf Clubs*. But first, a public service announcement. Actually, this should have been up a while ago, but the evil known as Finals interfered a bit… still a pretty fast update, though. Don't expect the rest to come anywhere near as fast. Now, I'm sorry about all the talking. Like I said, it'll get better. I have to get the plot set up, but maybe I'll be able to squeeze a ship battle into this chapter. People who reviewed my other story said I have a knack for fight scenes with this style, of which there are currently none. So… sorry. But, I have finalized my choice of adepts. And, Shiro gets a cookie. (Too bad his review got BALEETED by whatever human error caused all June 4 reviews to be delteated. Note: Spellings intended. Homestarrunner.com reference.) Anyway, I'm bringing in 8 characters from other games as adepts to keep the Djinni balanced. This is how it breaks down:

4 from FF7

3 from FFX

1 from Legend of Zelda

I'm also going to steal some villains, because 16-on-3 is a bit unfair… I'm not going to tell you how many villains there are, but there are going to be enough for them to have a back row like your party.

**Chapter 2: Half Done**

"All right you! You've got some explaining to do!" fumed Jenna," Why did you make us fight our parents at Mars Lighthouse?"

"I needed time to warn others of the impending danger, and I wanted to test your powers… I knew the power of the lighthouse would heal your parents all along," explained the Wise One," Now, let's focus on the here and now. This cavern served as the home base of the six sages that sealed Alchemy."

"Really?" said Kraden excitedly. The Wise One made some kind of nod in response.

"Can you recall atop Mars Lighthouse, I told you all you knew too much?" asked the Wise One. Everyone looked at each other nervously before nodding. "In truth, you do not know the half of things."

"What do you mean? We just saved Weyard, didn't we?" asked Sheba.

"Unfortunately, no," replied the Wise One," You see, Alchemy isn't just about the Elementals, whose lighthouses are located in Weyard. There were also the spiritual lighthouses."

"Where are those lighthouses located?" asked Mia.

"Beyond the edge of Gaia Falls," answered the Wise One," You see, Weyard is not all that there is to this world. Beyond Gaia Falls… is a bright blue endless sky. Weyard, in truth, is just one island of many floating in that sky. In the Golden Age of Alchemy, the sky was a way of life. Weyard was once organized under a single country, based in what is now Vale, or the big hole left of it. This was back when all the continents of Weyard formed one big, moon-shaped continent, surrounded by water before cascading into the sky. When Alchemy was sealed, the continents of Weyard drifted apart into what Weyard is today, and things are constantly falling off into the sky, becoming their own floating islands. On some of the other continents floating out there, are the spiritual lighthouses."

"I don't get it," interrupted Garet," If these lighthouses aren't part of Weyard, why would it continue to crumble?"

"Do you remember what was happening to Prox because the Mars Lighthouse was unlit while the others were?" asked the Wise One.

"It was freezing cold because there was no fire element," answered Sheba.

"Exactly. This is how the Golden Age of Alchemy worked: The power of the elements flowed off of Weyard through Gaia Falls, and scattered in the winds to the rest of the world as energy. In return, the spiritual energy was channeled into Weyard in the form of an aurora coming from beneath the clouds, thus keeping its power stable. This is the other reason, the first being man's greed and lust for power, that it is said that Alchemy would destroy the world. It will crumble into ruin without the spiritual energy to keep it together," explained the Wise One.

"…What?" asked Garet.

"Ugh! You are SO dense! Basically, the spiritual energy stopped Weyard from collapsing under the strain of being the source of elemental power!" outburst Sheba.

"You know, that's really something I would expect from Jenna…" mumbled Garet.

"Exactly. This also held true the other way. However, since Weyard has no spiritual energy coming into it, its stores will be depleted, and the continent will crumble. The other continents below aren't giving off any energy, so nothing will happen to them," finished the Wise One.

"But, their cultures will continue to dwindle, won't they?" asked Ivan.

"That's what troubles me… For some reason, the cultures in other parts of the world haven't declined nearly as much as Weyard. In fact, some of them have found ways to improve even without the power of Alchemy. They're quite advanced, actually. However, with the power of the elements of Alchemy back, you should be able to withstand whatever they throw at you," reassured the big rock. 

"How? No one has had any time to make any great technological advances!" exclaimed Jenna.

"That's true, but your ancestor's old airship will do nicely. It's here in this very cave," said the Wise One.

"Our ancestor?" asked Felix.

"You and Jenna descend from a person people called the Queen of the Blue Rogues. She was far and away the best Air Pirate in her day and age, and she was the youngest sage at 17 years old," explained the Wise One.

"So, our great ancestor and one of the sages of Alchemy was nothing more than a despicable pirate?" asked Jenna with disdain. 

"You have to understand, there were two factions of Air Pirates: The Black Pirates and the Blue Rogues. The Black Pirates attacked and stole from anyone and everyone. The Blue Rogues attacked and stole only from armed vessels, and they went out of their way to help people in trouble. They never slaughtered anyone needlessly, either. A sort of chivalrous thief," said the Wise One.

"Like Lunpa?" asked Ivan.

"That would be right," confirmed the Wise One," Now, time is wasting. You should probably leave first thing in the morning. Go poke around this cave a bit and see what the original sages have left for you to use. You should find quite a bit of helpful equipment, and a number of special techniques. And this… this is a gift from me," finished the Wise One, and he left as quickly as he came.

Isaac's party can now sense enemy HP and PP.

Isaac's party can now use Special Techniques.

"We should probably split up and look around this cave a bit, and see if we can find anything useful," suggested Felix.

"Good idea," agreed Jenna. Everyone went to look around the ancient cave, hoping to find something of value. Felix was the first to find something useful.

"Hmm… interesting," pondered Felix, gripping two crystalline swords, one a shorter, single-bladed sword and the other a thick double-bladed one in his hand.

"Hey, I've heard of those kind of swords. They're called Cutlasses… you're supposed to wield them together, Felix," said Isaac, looking over in amusement as Felix was swinging one of the short swords around.

"Like this?" asked Felix, holding both by the handle out in front of him.

"Uhh… I don't think that's quite right," replied Isaac.

"Lemme see those, Felix!" cried Jenna, sneaking up and grabbing both of them from her older brother.

"Hey! That's not funny!" griped Felix.

"I think it's more like this," said Jenna, twirling the sword with an odd-shaped hilt sideways and gripping it by the handle sticking out from its side so the blade ran along the length of her forearm. Holding that sword in front of her, she took a sideways stance and held the other cutlass off to the side behind her.

"Yeah, I think she's right, Felix. That's how you use them! The short one goes in front of you as a guard, and you attack with the thick double-edged one!" realized Isaac.

"… How did you know that, Jenna?" asked Felix," Never mind. You're a natural with those weapons. Keep 'em."

Jenna obtained the Dream Cutlass.

"Hey, these look interesting…" said Mia, looking inside two treasure chests. One was filled with scrolls with the same kind of writing on them as the summon tablets, and the other contained an oversize boomerang.

"I'll bet these are those special techniques the Wise One talked about," said Isaac, referring to the scrolls. Mia placed her hands on the writing. Nothing happened.

"Lemme see that," said Sheba, taking the scroll and the boomerang. She placed her hands on the writing, and again, nothing happened. "Must be a dud, but I like the boomerang," said the young Jupiter Adept, tossing back the scroll and keeping the boomerang.

Sheba obtained Anemos' Boomerang 

Isaac caught the scroll, and then the words came off the tablet, levitated for a minute, turned into energy and fused itself with Isaac.

Isaac can now use Mountain Splitter 

"… How come you could use it but we couldn't?" asked Sheba.

"Maybe the scrolls are only compatible with certain people…" suggested Kraden," or it could be the person's fighting style that affects it."

"You're probably right. We should gather everyone back here and see what powers these scrolls contain," agreed Isaac.

Garet can now use Burst Flare Ivan can now use Illusion Slash Mia can now use Lunar Blessing Felix can now use Shield Breaker Jenna can now use Cutlass Fury Sheba can now use Greased Lightning Picard can now use Enemy Skill 

"I think we've picked this room clean," said Ivan.

"Why don't we take a look at the airship the Wise One was talking about?" suggested Picard.

"Good idea," agreed Felix.

"I wonder what our ancestor's airship looks like…" mused Jenna. She didn't have to wait long, as after a short walk down a hall, they found themselves in a vast port of sorts, except…

"Look! You can see the sky through the floor!" pointed out Sheba.

"This is really… strange," said Garet.

"Wow…" breathed Jenna, staring at something. Everyone turned to see what had garnered the Mars adept's attention over the sky below the floor, and the gaping ensued. Floating among the clouds was a partly metal-plated wooden ship, similar to the ships they had used on their previous quest, right down to the Wings of Anemos in the back and the dragonhead on the bow.

"I wonder how it floats without adepts in it to cast hover," said Kraden," Let's take a look, shall we?" The band of nine walked up the mesh gangplank and boarded the ship. The first thing they noticed was that there was a mast in the center of the ship as well as the main one protruding from the quarters. Two folded-up sails also adorned the ship, one between the two masts, and one between the smaller mast and the dragon figurehead. The second thing they noticed was that there was no helm at the bow of the ship.

"Does it look like something's missing to you guys?" asked Sheba.

"If you mean the helm, yes," agreed Mia. 

"The dragon head looks a bit different then the one on our ship too," observed Ivan. Kraden walked over to it and examined it closely.

"You're right, Ivan. This dragonhead seems to be closer to the ones found in Mars Lighthouse than the one on our ship. In fact…" said the Scholar, poking it a bit," I think this might be some kind of super-weapon of sorts."

"Where are the normal weapons, then?" asked Sheba.

"Maybe we should look inside," suggested Jenna. Everyone agreed, and they proceeded through the door in front of the back portion of the ship. Inside, they found a door, a side area for cargo and two staircases. Going down the staircase, they found a Psynergy crystal embedded in a pile of strange gems, and a strange contraption in the back connected to the psynergy stone with a series of conduits, as well as three cannons on each side, mounted on tracks so that they would roll forward and poke out of small doors in the hull.

"I think this place would be the engine room," said Picard," Funny, I don't see a place where power can be activated with a Black Orb…"

"I wonder what this is," said Ivan, referring to the contraption in the back.

"Ooh! I think that's it!" exclaimed Kraden

"What's 'It'?" asked Isaac.

"Don't tell me… it's the thingie that makes it go, right?" asked Jenna.

"EXACTLY!" exclaimed Kraden.

"So, what makes it float in the air?" asked Mia.

"I think these gems might answer that," replied Sheba," look." The Jupiter adept then pulled out her Hover Jade. Upon closer examination, the gems surrounding the psynergy stone were identical in composition to the Hover Jade.

"So, the ship is constantly casting Hover on itself?" asked Garet.

"Makes sense to me," said Jenna. They went back up the stairs and went through the door this time, finding the galley and a table for eating. Leaving that room and going up the other staircase, they found a narrow hallway with two doors. One of the doors led to the ships living quarters, which held 6 bunk beds and 6 desks. The group then returned to the hallway and entered the last door. Inside, they found a broad room with full windows on three sides, as well as a table, several maps, the missing helm, and a panel covered in a bunch of inviting buttons and levers, a compass and a black screen like the one in King Hydros's throne room.

"I wonder what all these buttons do," said Garet, staring at them, resisting the urge to just push them all at once.

"The lever by the helm controls the ship's altitude, the throttle controls the ship speed, the buttons turn the safety on the cannons on and off and fire the torpedoes, the throttle next to them fires the super weapon, and the screen displays a grid in combat… it's supposed to tell you things like good times to strike, when you can fire your super weapon, and how much danger you're in. It needs a Wind or Chrono adept in the bridge to work, though," explained Ivan.

"…How the heck did you know that, Ivan?" asked Isaac.

"The manual," grinned Ivan, holding up a book he had picked up off the table.

"And what the heck is a Chrono adept?" inquired Garet.

"I don't know. Probably one of the new adepts we'll need when we go to light the spirit lighthouses," replied Kraden," Their powers must be time-based, because Chrono means time. They probably can predict the future to a certain extent, like wind adepts." 

"Well, since we don't have any of those right now, we'll need a Wind adept to stay on the bridge if we ever get in a fight with another ship," said Jenna.

"That reminds we, we should probably pick a leader. A captain," said Sheba.

"All right… how about Felix? He proved he can handle a ship when he got us through the Sea of Time," suggested Picard.

"Thanks, but I think I've had enough of this leader thing… I think Isaac should be the captain," nominated Felix.

"ME? But I can never make up my mind when we have to make tough decisions!" pointed out Isaac.

"You may take forever to make up your mind, but you always make the best decision in the end," forwarded Garet.

"That's right. You're a great leader, Isaac," agreed Mia.

"If my brother doesn't want to be the leader again, I guess I want Isaac to be the captain too," seconded Jenna. 

"Is anyone opposed to Isaac being captain?" asked Felix. No one had any complaints.

"All right then! It's decided, you're our Captain, Isaac," announced Kraden.

"Well… If they all want me as their captain, I can't let them down," thought Isaac.

"Well?" asked Garet, snapping his friend back to reality.

"Very well. If you all want me to be the leader, I guess I can't say no… I'll do it," agreed Isaac.

"So, what now, Isaac?" asked Felix.

"We should probably return to the surface of Lemuria. We'll need to stock this ship and tell everyone what's happening," said Isaac. With that, they exited the ancient vessel and headed back up to Ancient Lemuria. After the short sail through the old caves, they arrived back in the main city, where they explained to Picard's uncle, Isaac's parents and Felix and Jenna's parents what was happening now.

"So… you're setting off on another adventure. And we have no idea what could be out there," said Dora.

"How frustrating… you think you just save the world, but you're really only half done," said Felix's father. Everyone else nodded solemnly in agreement.

"So much has already happened, and our quest still isn't finished," observed Isaac.

"But we have to do this, or else Weyard will still crumble into nothingness," said Ivan.

"And all you've done would be for naught," agreed Kyle.

"I'll send a message to the King and Lunpa. They should be able to supply your new ship with food and supplies, assuming that old fool Conservato stays out of this," said Picard's uncle, tying a piece of paper to a bird's leg, sending it out the window.

"You should probably rest now, so you can leave bright and early in the morning," advised Jenna's mother.

"Right. It could be a while until you can rest on solid ground," pointed out Garet's mother.

"Are we ready to call it a day, Isaac?" asked Felix.

"Yeah, I don't think there's much more we can do for now, except be ready to go in the morning," agreed Isaac, so they all headed for the guest beds.

Early next morning, before dawn had cracked over the horizon, before the birds were awake, Isaac and his party were roused from their slumber by Picard's uncle. "What's going on?" asked Garet, the question on everyone else's half awake minds.

"King Hydros and Lunpa supplied your ship late last night. However, Lord Conservato didn't want you to go. He says it's a load of nonsense that will bring about Weyard's destruction. Then he was told what's been causing those earthquakes. All throughout the night, the senate has been meeting. Now, they've impeached King Hydros and they could be coming after us any minute!" explained Picard's Uncle.

"WHAT?!?" exclaimed Kraden," Conservato… that fool! Isaac! We should get out of here, right now!"

"But what about our parents?" asked Garet. 

"If we give them our old ship, they could escape to Kalay," pointed out Ivan.

"Good thinking, Ivan. That's what we're going to have to do. Now, let's go!" exclaimed Isaac. The adepts and their families dashed out of Picard's uncle's house, and made a beeline for the docks. 

"It doesn't seem like they're coming after us," noted Mia.

"Not yet, anyway," said Jenna.

"Let's just get to the ship before those idiots realize we've left," suggested Sheba. They got to their old ship and sailed as quickly as possible to the ancient Lemurian caves. 

"Be careful, son," said Dora, embracing her son for what could be the last time in a long while.

"You've made it this far," encouraged Kyle," We both know you and everyone else will come back safe to Weyard." Isaac just silently returned their hugs.

"Garet, you haven't done anything too stupid so far, try and keep it that way!" said Garet's sister.

"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Garet.

"Good luck, big bro. I know you won't do anything that stupid," said Garet's little brother.

"At least someone here has confidence in me," groaned Garet.

"We all have confidence in you, Garet," said his mother and father.

"Some of us just show it better than others," reminded his Grandparents.

"Felix, Jenna… you've both proven you're capable adventurers. We know the world is safe in you and your friends hands," encouraged their parents.

"Picard, I'm glad you have such reliable friends, and that you can help save the world. Your mother would be proud," said Picard's uncle.

"All right, we're here. You do know the way to Kalay, right?" asked Picard.

"We know," said Kyle and Dora.

"Farewell and good luck! Come back safe!" yelled the adept's families, as they sailed away from Lemuria on their old ship. The adepts started to make a break for the ancient base, but stopped when they noticed their captain wasn't following.

"What's wrong, Isaac?" asked Mia.

"I have a bad feeling about something…" said Isaac, watching as their families ship rounded the bend leading back out into the Sea of Time. He was right. Coming from the opposite passage was a ship carrying Conservato, the rest of the Senate, and a small amount of the Lemurian guards.

"What? You don't think he's going to go after our families, do you?" asked Sheba.

"I wouldn't put it past him," said Jenna.

"Let's not take any chances. We have to make sure our families escape!" said Isaac.

"And, how, may I ask, do you plan on doing that?" asked Felix.

"By making sure they come after us instead," replied Isaac.

"I'll gladly do that," grinned Sheba, removing two of her Mercury Djinn and taking aim at the ship. The Jupiter adept unleashed a blast of Shine Plasma on the Lemurian ship, obviously infuriating its passengers. "They should come after us now," finished Sheba, resetting her two Mercury Djinn. Sure enough, the ship changed course, now heading straight for Ancient Lemuria.

"What now, Isaac?" asked Garet.

"What else? RUN!!!" exclaimed Isaac, and they all ran like bats out of hell over the ruins straight for the ancient base, down the hall, and into the elevator.

"D'you think we lost them?" breathed Mia. A loud "THUD" sound on the top of the elevator followed by hammering mace noises told them otherwise.

"Be ready for battle," advised Isaac, watching the old ceiling crack. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and the adepts bolted from the elevator, just as a loud crash could be heard behind them, and the grunts of soldiers getting up could be heard behind them.

"We've got company," said Felix, looking back, watching as a rope dropped through the roof of the elevator and more soldiers slid down, the ones already here now giving chase. They had a head start, however, and managed to get to the ship before the soldiers could catch them. They all scrambled up to the bridge as quick as their legs and the hallways of the ship would allow them. Isaac took the helm, and the ship dropped out of the cave into the open sky, leaving the horde of soldiers chasing them jumping about angrily on the mesh gangplank.

"Looks like we made it out," said Felix. 

"So… we finally get to see what lies beyond Gaia Falls," said Garet, as Isaac set a course towards the curtain of water. They unfurled the sails, and the ancient ship quickly proved it's superior speed as they reached the curtain of water within three hours. With their old ship, it took at least a day to travel from Lemuria to Gaia Falls. The ship burst through the curtain of water, into the open sky, the great beyond, a place no person of Weyard had been for a millennium, where the only land masses for miles and miles were tiny islands floating in the air.

"Hey… Isaac… don't you think we should name our ship?" suggested Ivan.

"That's a good idea… maybe we should name it…" started Isaac.

"How about the Burninator?" asked Garet.

"NO! We are NOT calling this ship the Burninator!" interjected Jenna.

"Well, what should we call it, then?" asked Garet.

"…the Sky Dragon," replied Jenna.

"That's even worse than mine!" countered Garet.

"The Twin Headed Thunder Dragon!" suggested Ivan.

"… Ivan… are you feeling okay?" asked Sheba.

"It doesn't even have two heads!" pointed out Garet.

"The Judgement?" suggested Felix.

"Nah…" said everyone else except Isaac and Mia.

"If you're all done squabbling now, I think Isaac has an idea," said Mia. Everyone else proceeded to stare expectantly at Isaac.

"How about the Highwind?" suggested the Venus adept.

"…Sounds good to me," said Jenna.

"It's good," agreed Felix.

"So, anyone have a better idea?" asked Isaac. His comrades all shook their heads, and so it was, the Highwind, and they set sail once again, venturing deeper into the vast sky. Isaac stayed at the helm for several more hours, watching his companions come and go from the deck of the ship, until he asked Picard to take the helm. Happy to finally get a break, the protector headed out onto the deck for some fresh air. Isaac stepped out onto the deck, and walked over to the bow of the ship leaning on the railing, the gentle breeze ruffling his hair and wafting his scarf behind him, the first time he had really been able to relax in several days.

"Well, not that I can really call this relaxing," thought Isaac," We have to get the spiritual stars and fire the spirit lighthouses now… At least we won't have to deal with power-hungry fire and water adepts breathing down our necks this time… But we have no clue what else could be out there. I just hope things don't get as complicated as they did for lighting the elemental lighthouses."

"Isaac… oh, did you come out here to be alone? I'll go back inside," came a certain soft-spoken female voice.

"No, it's alright, Mia. You can stay," replied Isaac. The blue-haired Mercury adept turned around and joined Isaac at the bow.

"So… what were you thinking about, before I came out here?" asked Mia.

"Oh… I was just thinking about how we don't really know anything about the lands out here… and how that could affect our quest," said Isaac.

"I suppose that could make things harder. But, at least we don't have to deal with Saturos and Menardi this time, or any of their cohorts," replied Mia. Suddenly, a black flag with a skull and cross-bone design emerged from the clouds around the ship.

"What the heck… could these be the Black Pirates that the Wise One was talking about?" wondered Isaac aloud.

"Give us all yer gold, AND yer women!" demanded the leader, a large man with a ragged beard and a black pirate's hat.

"Not a chance," replied Isaac.

"Then prepare to defend yerselves!" cried the burly pirate, and he and his crew headed below deck, preparing to blast Isaac and his comrades out of the sky.

Isaac took Mia by the hand and scrambled back up to the bridge, finding his 'crew' already assembled.

"Isaac, what should we do?" asked Jenna.

"We're going to engage the Black Pirate ship in ship-to-ship combat," announced Isaac," Felix, Garet, Jenna, Picard, get below deck and man the cannons." They all left for the engine room immediately. "Ivan, I need you to operate the that screen-thing that shows battle data. Mia, Sheba, use those talking tube things in the corner to relay orders to everyone manning the cannons, okay?"

"Aye-aye, captain," remarked Sheba jokingly, walking over to the talking tubes. Isaac took the helm, and pulled away from the pirates, just as they fired the first shot, barely missing them. Isaac began to circle back around as Ivan got the grid working.

"What's the grid-thing saying, Ivan?" asked Isaac.

"Well, our ship has an advantage over them, HP-wise. We've got 20,000, and they have 14,000. I'm not sure about their attack power, though we should be safe for now. If you maneuver right, we should have a good firing opportunity this round," said Ivan.

"All right then. Have them prepare the cannons to fire as we pass them," ordered Isaac. He turned the ship up and around, and approached the enemy at an angle, cannons pointing down at their deck. Garet fired off a round, and they hit the enemy deck, dealing around 2,000 damage. However, the pirates countered by firing off a torpedo as they passed. 

"Ivan, I thought you said we weren't in any danger that round!" said Isaac. 

"We weren't. The torpedo won't hit until this round. Go into evasive maneuvers to weaken the blow, and you can counter by flying under them and attacking with our own torpedoes," replied Ivan.

"If you say so," said Isaac, whipping the ship up and turning it around. The torpedo hit near the upper part of the bow, causing minor damage, and Isaac was able to pull under the pirate's ship and wallop them with a shot from the torpedoes.

"We've got them on the defensive," observed Mia, as the Black Pirates fell away a bit.

"Isaac, they're trying to repair their ship and restore HP, but they don't have the resources to do it very quickly," reported Ivan.

"All right, we're going to circle them and attack with our cannons!" declared Isaac. They pulled in close and all four of the gunners fired off their cannons, until for some reason…

"Isaac, Picard's cannon won't fire!" informed Sheba.

"What? Why? What's the problem?" wondered Isaac. At that point, a light formed on Isaac's shoulder and shot out towards the control panel, and a little brown critter formed on it.

"What is it, Flint?" asked Isaac.

"Well, Master Isaac, we Djinn couldn't help but notice you're in a ship battle. I thought it would be good to know that we have effects on your ship as well. You can call on us anytime, remember? Oh, and the summon spells still work on enemy ships too. But, only crew members on the bridge can use their Djinn, or cast summon spells," said Flint.

"Really? Well, that's good to know," acknowledged Isaac.

"Oh, there's some other stuff you should know, too. Your bridge crewmembers can cast spells on the ship, too. Their attack psynergy can be used on the enemy ship as well, but I wouldn't recommend that. It doesn't do enough damage. Oh, and there's a reason the cannons won't fire, too," explained Flint.

"Why?" asked Isaac.

"You see this bar here at the top of the display?" asked Flint. Isaac and Ivan nodded in response. "This is the Psynergy the ship can use for attacking. At the start of every round it gains a number of PP depending on the strength of the crew operating it. In this case, 13. I don't know if you noticed, but the screen can display the cost of actions, too. It's at the bottom. The ship doesn't have enough psynergy to fire all four cannons this round and stay in the air, so the cannon didn't fire," explained Flint.

"So is there a way we can make the ship gain psynergy for attacking faster?" asked Ivan.

"The transfer technique," answered Flint," Only crewmembers below decks can do this. All they have to do is go up to the engine- or as you people call it, the thingie that makes it go- and focus their psynergy into it. It usually takes around six to seven PP. Oh, and I'd like to point out that you can end this battle very quickly right now."

"How?" asked Isaac.

"Save up 17 PP, position yourself behind the enemy and fire the Dragon Cannon. That's your super weapon. It does immense damage and… yeah, you should win with ease," finished Flint.

"Thanks for the tip," replied Isaac.

"That's what we're here for, isn't it?" said Flint, turning into a ball of light again and returning to Isaac.

"All right, you all heard him. Mia, tell two of them to focus their psynergy into the engine," instructed Isaac. The Venus adept then spun the wheel, flying away from the Black Pirates again, circling around to its side. They still did nothing, apparently still trying to restore some HP to their ship. Isaac fired off a torpedo at them, forcing them to start moving again. The enemy ship went into evasive action, moving so the torpedo barely caught the uppermost part of their stern. 

"Isaac, the focus thing worked, we've got 22 PP to use this round," informed Ivan.

"Here we go, then…" said Isaac, increasing their speed and whipping the Highwind around directly behind the Pirate ship. "Dragon Cannon," he pushed the large throttle all the way forward, and the dragon figurehead at the bow drew in red orbs of Mars Psynergy from the air… "FIRE!" In a burst of red light, the figurehead fired off a beam of flaming red, intense, searing heat, catching the Black Pirates dead center, engulfing their ship in flames. As the beam subsided, the Black Pirates' ship was continually engulfed in the flames.

"That did it, Isaac! They're all out of HP!" reported Ivan. Mia and Sheba relayed the message to their friends working below deck, and they all came up and watched as slightly charred lifeboats came flying out of the burning ship as it sank below the clouds. 

"Hey, what's that lifeboat over there doing?" asked Sheba, pointing to a lifeboat that, rather than retreating like the others, came flying straight towards the Highwind. 

"Looks like some people don't know when they're beat," observed Felix.

"We're not going to take this, are we Isaac?" asked Garet.

"Let's go onto the deck and see what he wants," said Isaac. They headed down the stairs and stepped out onto the deck as the lifeboat pulled up next to the deck. It carried the giant pirate leader from before.

"Argh… you wouldn't have won wit'out that giant cannon!" snarled the drunken pirate. 

"So? We had it, and if I remember right, weren't YOU the ones that spent most of that battle trying to repair your ship?" asked Jenna.

"Shut yer trap, b***h!" growled the pirate.

"Get your sorry carcass off my ship. I'm not asking again," glared Isaac, holding back a Garet that looked ready to reduce the pirate to a smoldering pile of ashes.

"Ye won't be askin' again 'cause ye'll be DEAD! I said I was takin' yer gold an' yer women, an' I ain't leavin' wit'out 'em!" shouted the Pirate Captain, drawing a massive battle-axe from the lifeboat.

"Have it your way, then," replied Isaac, drawing the Sol Blade. The silver and gold sword glowed with a white light and let out a howling sound. Isaac leapt up, right near a gigantic, fiery rock, which he spiked downward at the Pirate. It crashed down on the man with a huge, violent explosion, and sent the barbarian pirate flying off the ship, in a fit of screaming agony and curses, landing in a lifeboat skillfully maneuvered by one of his crewmates. This time, the lifeboats all darted away as quick as they could, in terror of these people that could swat their leader off the ship like some little insect that strayed too close to one's food.

"I hope all the people in this world aren't such savages," said Felix," They may have advanced technology, but it doesn't seem like the people evolved with it." Just then, another ship that looked similar in design to buildings from Suhalla and Lalivero came flying out from beneath a cloud and pulled up next to the Highwind. This ship was much smaller, and appeared to be unarmed. An old man dressed in desert gear with a long, white beard stepped out onto the deck.

"Whoa… you just defeated the feared Black Pirate, Mongul the Barbarian! He's been terrorizing the shipping lanes here for the past three months! There've been a lot of people after that bounty, too. Ehh. All that matters is you got rid o' the pest. Makes the skies safer for us merchants," said the Old Man.

"Shipping lanes?" wondered Garet.

"Well, of course. This is the shipping lane between the Luxurian Empire and the Kingdom of Eygipt," explained the Merchant.

"Luxurian Empire? Kingdom of Eygipt?" repeated Garet, with a befuddled look on his face.

"You folks… aren't your run of the mill Blue Rogues, are you?" said the Merchant," Where you folks from?"

"The continent of Weyard," answered Isaac.

"WEYARD?!" exclaimed the Merchant," You folks wouldn't happen to be adepts, would you?"

"Actually, yes, we are," replied Isaac.

"Elemental adepts from the lost continent of Weyard… please, follow me in my ship. The Pharaoh of my native Kingdom of Eygipt would surely like to meet with you adepts," said the old Merchant, stepping back into his ship, and slowly flying off.

"What now, Isaac?" asked Felix.

"Let's follow him. It looks like we'll be back on solid ground sooner than we thought," said Isaac, returning to the bridge. He took the helm once more and the Highwind sailed south, for the Kingdom of Eygipt.

**Current Status:**

**Isaac Protector 7 Mercury/2 Venus Lv.58**

**Sol Blade**

**Warrior's Helm**

**Riot Gloves**

**Xylion Armor**

**Hyper Boots**

**Golden Ring**

**Golden Shirt**

_*Mountain Splitter_

**Garet Ronin 5 Venus/4 Jupiter Lv.58 **

**Darksword**

**Fear Helm**

**Terra Shield**

**Planet Armor**

**Quick Boots**

**Cleric's Ring**

**Running Shirt**

_*Burst Flare_

**Ivan Guru 7 mars/2 Jupiter Lv.58**

**Tisiphone Edge**

**Alastor's Hood**

**War Gloves**

**Mysterious Robe**

**Hyper Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

_*Illusion Slash_

**Mia Pure Mage 4 Venus/5 Jupiter Lv.58**

**Lachesis' Rule**

**Crown of Glory**

**Spirit Armlet**

**Iris Robe**

**Quick Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

_*Lunar Blessing_

**Felix Paladin 5 Mercury/4 Mars Lv.46**

**Excalibur**

**Mythril Helm**

**War Gloves**

**Wild Coat**

**Golden Boots**

**Running Shirt**

_*Shield Breaker_

**Jenna Chaos Lord 7 Venus/2 Mars Lv.46**

**Dream Cutlass**

**Thorn Crown**

**Crafted Gloves**

**Ardagh Robe**

**Dragon Boots**

**Silk Shirt**

**Unicorn Ring**

_*Cutlass Fury_

**Sheba Warlock 4 Mercury/5 Mars Lv.44**

**Anemos' Boomerang**

**Astral Circlet**

**Leda's Bracelet **

**Erinyes Tunic**

**Quick Boots**

**Spirit Ring **

**Silk Shirt**

_*Greased Lightning_

**Picard Wizard 7 Jupiter/2 Mercury Lv.44**

**Fire Brand**

**Dragon Helm**

**Big Bang Gloves**

**Xylion Armor**

**Quick Boots**

**Mythril Shirt**

_*Enemy Skill_

**Author's Note in Closing: There. I got through another chapter, and I got the plot developed well enough. Yay for me. And I got the ship battle in. Obviously, that one was a bit more to get Isaac and company used to handling the ship, and see what they could do. But still, it ended with a super weapon shot. Super weapons are fun. Anyway… yes, I changed Jenna and Sheba's primary weapons. We have enough standard swordsmen and I'm not really a big fan of staffs (But Mia gets to keep hers because she's the healer. Sheba should pack more firepower.) For those of you wondering, Jenna's weapons and fighting style is basically the same as that of Vyse, the main character of Skies of Arcadia, and I got the idea for a fighting style for Sheba as a combination of Yuffie from FF7 and Aika from Skies of Arcadia. So, now you know. Oh, and in the status thing, psynergy and special abilities gained are italicized with asterisks preceding them. Oh, and you should think of the special abilities as Psynergy that the character retains no matter how they change their class. And, you'll get to see how they look soon enough. Next chapter could be a ways away (I warned you, my chapters are long, and I have another story of equal, if not greater magnitude going), so… Meh. Just review. I'll be inclined to update faster. Next chapter should have some back-story to this new world, and some combat. Maybe other stuff too (Like why Felix wanted Isaac to be the leader)… **


End file.
